The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-10-20
THE WEEK OF SEVEN DAYS.

AS has been remarked by the COM
mentators, and as is apparent to careful
readers, II would seem that so, 10 notion
OF the week Of seven days was current
among the people whose history is ro-
corded IN very early times, that is to
say, at date long preceding Moses or
any OF the books writton by him. Tho
proof of this is to be found in such
passages as the following: GcncSi,,
xxx, 27, where Jacob is desired by
Laban to fulfill her week." that IS
Leah's week, in order that ho might
also receive Rachel. Tho week appears
to express the time given up to nuptial
festivities. So aftcrward in Judges.
xiv, where Samson speaks Of ''lhn
seven days of the feast" SO also on
the occasion of the death of Jacob,
Joseph "mado mourning for his father
seven days" Genesis, l., 1O.) But
"neithor Of these Instances, any more
than Noah's procedure in tho ark, 20
| further than showing tho custom of OBJ
serving term Of seven days for any
| observance of Importance" They do
not prove that the whole year or the
whole month was thus divided at nil
times and without regard to remark
able events. They do not indeed provo
this, but they suggest the division as
common and familiar and in some early
period recognized rs an Institution.
When, therefore, tho children of Israel
went down TO Egypt for what proved to
bo vory long sojourn in that country
thoy possibly were familiar with tho
practice of dividing time by weeks, and
at nil events the notion of seven days rs
| n convenient portion of time for the
affairs of life would not seem altogether
strange to them. 1t is exceedingly
probable that on arriving in Egypt they
found tho week established by The prac-
tico Of the country. 1t will be observed
that it was in Egypt that Joseph MOURN
ed seven days for Jacobs and it is pos
siblo, though thcro seems to be no neccY-
sity to assume the fact, that in 50 doing
he was conforming to the custom OF tho
country, as he did with regard TO the
cmbalming and chosting Of his father =
remains. But Independently Of any
suoh consideration, il would seem high
| ly probable that the Isracltcs found
themselves in Egypt among Il people
who divided the time by weeks Of seven
days. We know that they did SO at 4
later period; why might they not have
commenced rs early as before the So
journ Of the Isracltes? Tho Egyptians
were. in fact, people very likely to be
advanced i'll such l. matter as this;
order and government. both ccclcsasti-
cal and civil, were undoubtedly liz Il re-
markablo state Of perfection at tho time
! to which reference is now made, and it
would seem much more probable than
| otherwise that SO convenient an institu-
ton as the subdivision of the month
into short periods had already been
established. 1t may be noted with
reference to the number seven and lis
recognition in somc form or another ~
n special number among tho Egyptialla,
that we have incidental evidence in the
dream of Pharaoh; the special form of
the dream, as presenting seven fat and
seven lean kline, may be supposed to
| have been connected with some famil-
| iarity in Pharaoh's mind with the num-
Der soven during his waking hours
And as regards the Isracltcs. II NAV be
observed that tho period Of seven davs
is introduced into the most solemn
event Of their Egyptian sojourA, name
| Jy, the ordinance Of the Passover.
Seven days shall yc eat mlpavcnrd
bread; even the first day yo shall put
| away leaven out OF your houses; for
| whosoever eatoth lcavcn bread from the
first until the seventh day, that sprl
| shall be cut off from Israel. .n-E h,
Bishop Of Carlisle in the Contemporary
| RcUiclp